FLUSHING, N.Y. – After playing 11 games on the road the Queens College softball team opened East Coast Conference play in their home opener as the Knights welcomed the Mavericks of Mercy University to Flushing on a chilly and windy Thursday afternoon.
In game one the Knights tallied 10 hits led by freshman utility
Caylea Campbell (Murrieta, CA) (3-3 AB, HR, 2RBI, R) first career three-hit performance, and the duo of junior center fielder
Amanda Baez (Selden, N.Y.) (2-2 AB, 2 2B, 2RBI, R) and senior first basemen
Jenny Murphy (East Islip, N.Y.) (2-3 AB) as the trio combined for seven hits, four RBI and two runs scored.
While the trio of right-fielder
Caroline Pescatore (North Babylon, N.Y.) (1-4 AB, RBI, R), senior
Alyssa Wilkinson (Bayside, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, R), and senior catcher
Kristina Verruso (Whitestone, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, R) combined for three hits and three runs scored as the offense tallied seven runs.
In the circle, Campbell
(W, 5-1 7.0 IP, 10H, 5ER, BB, 12K) led the way hurling a complete game victory as she held the Mavericks offense to five runs with a career-high 12 strikeouts to earn her fifth victory of the year as the Knights earned a 7-5 victory to open ECC play with a strong note.
In the nightcap, the Knights were outhit 11-9 but the offense would erupt for a season-high 13 runs led by Murphy's
(2-2 AB, HR, 3RBI, R) second multi-hit game of the day and third of the season, senior righty
Arianna Fracchioni (Westbury, N.Y.) (2-3 AB, RBI, R) first multi-hit game of the year as the duo combined for four hits, four RBI and two runs scored.
While Pescatore
(1-4 AB, 3RBI, R), Baez
(1-2 AB, HR, 2RBI, BB, 2R), Campbell
(1-1 AB, HR, 2RBI, BB, R), junior third baseman
Emma Zumpol (Patchogue, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, RBI, 3R, BB), and Verruso
(1-2 AB, RBI, R) combined for five hits, nine RBI, and eight runs scored.
In the circle, Fracchioni
(W, 2-1 5.0 IP, 11H, 5ER, K) limited the Mavericks to five runs with a strikeout to earn her second victory of the year as Queens earned a 13-5 run-rule victory in five innings to complete the ECC doubleheader sweep.
With the win, the Knights improved to 7-6 overall, and opened conference play with a 2-0 record. Thursday's sweep helped the Knights end a three-game losing streak against the Mavericks. It is the first 2-0 start in conference play since the 2018 season when Queens swept Bridgeport back on March 27, 2018.
Game One Recap (QUEENS 7, MERCY 5)
As Campbell opened the game retiring the Mavericks in order, the Knights wasted no time opening the scoring in the home half of the first.
Zumpol would reach base as she got hit by pitch before the Mavericks got the first out on a ground out but Zumpol would advance to second safely. Next batter Baez battled for seven pitches before she laced her eighth pitch of the at-bat for a RBI double to score Zumpol as the Knights took a 1-0 lead.
Next batter Campbell wasted no time looking at any pitches as the freshman blasted her second home run of her young career to center field to put the Knights up 3-0.
But the Mavericks would cut the Knights' advantage down to one run, 3-2 as they recorded three hits to score two runs before Campbell recorded her fourth strikeout of the day to end the top of the second inning and leave two runners stranded on base.
As the Knights were retired in order in the home half of the second, the visitors would tie the game 3-3 as they used a leadoff double to their advantage. But for the second straight inning Campbell would leave two Mavericks stranded on base as she recorded her fifth punch out of the day.
With the game tied 3-3, Wilkinson opened the home half of the fourth with a single down the left field line before Verruso recorded a single to left field to put runners on first and second with no outs.
The Mavericks would get the first out as sophomore shortstop
Allie Parascandola (East Quogue, N.Y.) successfully advanced both runners into scoring position with a sac bunt.
Next batter sophomore left fielder
Brianna Call (Fishkill, N.Y.) put the Knights up 5-3 as Queens used a dropped fly ball by the Mavericks' center field to retake the lead.
As the Mavericks got the second out, a RBI single from Pescatore and a RBI double from Baez put the Knights up 7-3 following the conclusion of the fourth inning of play.
Having retaken the lead, Campbell would continue to keep the Knights in front as the rookie worked around a two-out walk and single to leave two more base runners stranded.
But in the top of the sixth inning, a hit by pitch would give the visitors a base runner at first before the rookie recorded her ninth strikeout of the day for the first out. As back-to-back singles loaded the bases for the Mavericks, the rookie would notch her 10
th punchout of the day as she was one out away from leaving the bases loaded.
But a two RBI single to right field would see the Mavericks cut the Knights' advantage down to 7-5 before the freshman got the seventh batter of the inning to ground out to second base to end the inning.
As the Knights left a runner stranded on first base in the home half of the sixth, Campbell began the seventh with her 11
th strikeout of the day. As a fielding error and a single to center field put the tying run at first base, the Knights defense would get the second out at third base on a fielder's choice before the freshman recorded the final out of the game with her 12
th strikeout of the day to earn her first ECC victory of the year and fifth overall as Queens earned a 7-5 victory to open conference play on a strong note.
Game Two Recap (QUEENS 13, MERCY 5)
In the nightcap, the Mavericks opened the scoring using four hits to take a 2-0 lead but Fracchioni would avoid further trouble as the righty left the bases loaded.
Trailing for the first time on the day, Queens wasted no time getting to work as they sent 12 batters to the plate. Zumpol opened the inning with a single up the middle before the Mavericks got the first out.
But Baez would quickly tie the game at 2-2 with her third home run of the year as she blasted a two-run shot to left center.
Next batter Campbell earned an eight-pitch walk before Murphy got hit by pitch and a fielder choice loaded the bases for Knights with still only one out.
Fracchioni would put the Knights up 3-2 with a RBI single to center fielder before a fielder's choice got the second out of the inning.
With two outs and bases loaded, a hit by pitch and walk would drive in two more runs before Queens took advantage of a dropped fly ball in center field as Queens cleared the bases to take an 8-2 lead following the conclusion of the first inning.
The Knights would work a clean inning in the top of the second before taking a 9-2 lead on Campbell's second home run of the day and third of her career.
Fracchioni would battle in the top of the third as she worked around a one-out double and single to keep the Knights ahead to the score of 9-2.
In the home half of the third, the Knights offense would tally more four runs behind a sac fly from Campbell before Murphy blasted her second home run of the season with a three-run shot to left center as Queens took a commanding lead of 13-2.
The Mavericks would get a run back in the fourth inning to cut the Knights lead down to 13-3 before the visitors kept Queens quiet in the home half of the fourth.
Leading by 10 runs and looking to earn a first run-rule victory of the year, a two-run shot in the top of the fifth would bring Queens' advantage down to eight runs, 13-5 as the Mavericks looked to extend the game further.
As Fracchioni got the third batter of the inning to ground out to second base, a single to right field looked to keep the going.
But Fracchioni and her defense would battle as she induced back-to-back ground outs to end the inning as Queens earned a 13-5 victory to complete the ECC home opener sweep.
Next Pitch
The Knights return to action on Tuesday (Mar. 26) afternoon as they welcome the Cougars of Caldwell University to town in non-conference play. Game one of the doubleheader is set for 2:00 p.m.
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